What makes this tour special
Escape the hustle & bustle of Budapest, and experience the towns and cities that have made the stetch of the Danube Bend so famous.
- Enjoy a scenic drive towards Esztergom
- Snap pictures of the majestic Esztergom Basilica, the oldest church in Hungary
- See the Danube Bend from a multitude of angles
- Visit Visegrad, a famous and picturesque castle town
- End your tour at Szentendre, which is full of art museums, galleries, and churches
- Enjoy a drive back to your hotel
The Danube Bend
As the second longest river in Europe, the Danube flows south-easterly 1,770 miles from Germany’s Black Forest mountains to pass through ten countries - more than any other river on Earth - before it empties into the Black Sea. With a watershed area of more than 315,000 miles, the Danube boasts around 30 tributaries of which most are dammed - at last count total dam tally was 700. More than 83-million people live in the river basin, with around 20-million people relying on the Danube for drinking water.
For centuries, people have depended on this vital artery for trade and transport, for drinking water and fertile soils, for energy and food. Approximately one-third of the Danube River passes through Hungary’s borders and in Budapest the sympathetic repurposing of wharf buildings, warehouses and old boat-yards is a sign that the city has loosened the chokehold of industry on this resplendent river. Designated a UNESCO Heritage site in 1991, the listed treasures along the banks are many and include the Szechenyi Chain Bridge, the Liberty Bridge, Buda Castle Hill, Matthias Church, the Hungarian Parliament Building, and bloom-filled Margaret Island.
Meandering the Danube
The trip begins when you are picked up from your hotel or a prearranged meeting point. During the tour you will visit Esztergom, a town located 46km north of Budapest, which is home to the majestic Esztergom Basilica; the oldest church in Hungary, and the centre of the Roman Catholic faith in the country for centuries.
On your private excursion, meander majestically as you gaze at scenery long-defined by wistful nostalgia, but within a country that very much looks to the future. A vast array of wildlife is supported by the Danube with 42 species of mammals, including otters, minks and European polecats, and 85 types of fish, including five species of sturgeon, a part of the River’s rich biodiversity. As you drive, be sure to ask your guide about the ways the river was immortalized in the classic Strauss waltz, which has made an appearance in dozens of movies, and appropriated into film scores and songs.
You will also pay a visit to Visegrad a famous castle town containing a 13th century citadel with palace ruins originally built in the Renaissance style. Your exclusive tour will end in Szentendre, a cultural hotbed with a selection of different art museums, galleries and churches.
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